Truck ladder

ABSTRACT

For mounting on the side of a truck body, this ladder has channel-shaped top and side rails into which fit the opposite ends of steps. The uppermost step is pivoted at its opposite ends to reinforcing channels to swing into and out of the space between the side rails.

United States Patent Loomis et al.

TRUCK LADDER Charles M. Loomis, R No. 3, Box 92; Gerald M. Loomis, 1017 N.

1 Ninth St., both of Arkansas City,

Kans. 67005 Filed: Oct. 12, 1973 App]. No.: 405,826

Inventors:

US. Cl 182/93; 182/194 Int. Cl. E06c 5/02 Field of Search 182/93, 194, 99, 228;

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2/1903 Chamberlain 182/206 1 May 13, 1975 Weiermanu, '403/245 Buckner 182/156 Nystrom... 182/93 Larson 182/165 Dunham 182/222 Primary ExaminerReinaldo P. Machado ABSTRACT For mounting on the side of a truck body, this ladder has channel-shaped top and side rails into which fit the opposite ends of steps. The uppermost step is pivoted at its opposite ends to reinforcing channels to swing into and out of the space between the side rails.

6 Claims, 10 Drawing Figures lll TRUCK LADDER SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The side rails and top of the ladder are of flanged channel crosssection preferably integral with one another by being formed by bending and cutting operations from a single elongated plate of sheet metal, such as steel. The fixed steps are also of channel crosssection while the wider upper step folds by being pivoted to the side rails. The resulting construction is light in weight yet possesses great strength.

IN THE DRAWINGS,

FIG. 1 is a front elevation, upon a reduced scale, of

a truck ladder, according to one form of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a right-hand side elevation of the ladder shown in FIG. 1, with the upper and wider step in its extended position;

FIG. 3 is a vertical section taken along the line 3-3 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged horizontal section through one of the side rails taken along the line 44 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged vertical section, taken along the line 55 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged top plan view of the folding upper step of the ladder shown in FIG. I, removed from the ladder;

FIG. 7 is a left-hand side elevation of the step shown in FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is an enlarged horizontal section taken along the line 88 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 9 is an enlarged top plan view of one of the stationary steps; and

FIG. 10 is a top plan view upon a reduced scale of the elongated sheet metal blank from which the top and side rails of the ladder are produced by subsequent bending operations.

Referring to the drawings in detail, FIG. 1 shows a truck ladder, generally designated 10, according to one form of the invention, as consisting generally of an integral top and side rail unit 12 of flanged channel crosssection to which are connected lower fixed steps 14 and an upper swinging step 16 pivoted to internal channel reinforcements 18. The top and side rail unit 12, as its name indicates, is composed of vertically-elongated parallel side rails or stiles 20 joined integrally at the upper corners 22 to the top member 24, the whole being formed in a single piece as described more fully below. Thus, the top member 24 serves as a bridge or cross member connecting the side rails 20 at their upper ends.

Each side rail 20 and the top member 24 are of channel cross-section (FIGS. 4 and 5), each side rail 20 having an end wall 26 which interconnects the side walls 28. The side walls 28 at their free edges are provided with narrow flanges 30 directed toward one another and separated from each other by a gap 32. Similarly, the top member 24 is provided with a top wall 34 which interconnects opposite side walls 36 and the latter at their free edges are provided with narrow flanges 38 also directed toward one another and separated from one another by a gap 40. The top member 24 (FIG. 5) is also provided, in its top wall 34, with spaced holes 42 having upwardly-projecting frusto-conical rims 44 for providing an anti-slip construction. The side rails 20 and top member 24 are joined to one another at their corners 22 and also along the oblique ends 46 and 48 respectively cut at angles of 45 degrees and welded or otherwise firmly secured to one another at the locations 46 and 48 (FIG. 1).

The side rails 20 are also joined to one another at their lower ends and at a location spaced above the lower ends by the fixed steps 14. The latter are also of channel cross-section with top walls 50 (FIG. 9) which interconnect side walls 52 (FIG. 3) from the lower edges of which narrow flanges 54 project toward one another leaving a space or gap 56 therebetween. Each of the fixed steps 14 at the opposite ends of its top wall 50 is provided with end extensions 58 which project outward from the dotted lines 60 through the gaps 32 and lower or upper notches- 62 or 64 formed in the flanges 30 of the side rails 20 (FIG. 10) into the interiors 66 thereof, where they are welded or otherwise secured in place.

The dimensions of the notches 62 and 64 are similar to those of the end extensions 58 of the fixed steps 14 in order to pass therethrough. Each of the fixed steps 14, like the top member 24, is provided with laterallyspaced holes 68 (FIG. 9) having frusto-conical upwardly-projecting rims 70 for anti-slip purposes.

Each elongated internal channel reinforcement 18 (FIG. 8) has an end wall or web 72 interconnecting opposite side walls 74 but, unlike the side rails 20, top member 24 and fixed steps '14, has only a single flange 76. The channel reinforcements 18 (FIGS. 1 and 3) extend from slightly above the upper fixed step 14 to a location above the swinging step 16. The swinging step 16 (FIGS. 6 and 7) has a horizontal plate portion punched at staggered intervals with holes 82 having frusto-conical anti-slip rims 84 and drilled near its rearward edges with holes 86 in which are mounted ladderattaching pins 88 with central drilling guide holes 87 therethrough for drilling pilot holes in the side rail or outer edge of the truck floor outside the sides or side boards of the truck bed. These pilot holes are then used to drill holes the size of the ladder-attaching pins 88 which are inserted therethrough and locked in place by cotter pins (not shown) through transverse holes 89 near the ends of the pins 88. Depending from the forward edge of the plate portion 80 is a narrow flange 90 (FIG. 7) while from its opposite ends rise end flanges 92. Each end flange 92 is drilled (FIG. 8) near its inclined forward edge 94 with a hole 96 in which is mounted a headed pivot pin 98, the head 100 of which is welded or otherwise firmly secured to its respective end flange 92. The end walls or webs 72 of the reinforcements 18 are provided with coaxial holes 102 adapted to receive the opposite ends of a support rod 104 extending thereacross immediately behind the front flange 90 when the swinging step 16 is in its horizontal or operative position. The forward flanges 30 of the side rails 20 are provided with notches 106 (FIG. 10) aligned with the holes 102 to afford clearances for the adjacent ends of the rod 104. The end walls or webs 72 of the reinforcements 18 are also provided with holes 108 adapted to be aligned with one another to receive the pivot pins 98 during assembly, as described more fully below.

In the method of making the ladder 10, a sheet metal plank 110 (FIG. 10) is formed from sheet metal into an elongated strip. The previously-mentioned rectangular notches 64 and 106 are punched or otherwise formed extending inward from the opposite edges 112 of the blank 110. Partially V-shaped and partially rectangular or parallel notches 114 are also formed in the same manner in longitudinally-spaced relationship inward from the opposite edges 112 with their V-shaped portions 46 and 48 at 45 angles to the edges 112 and at 90 angles to one another. The rectangular outer portions 116, 118 are formed simultaneously with the V- shaped portions 46, 48, so that the outline of each notch 114 thus resembles the end view of an ordinary barn. Either at this time or previously, the holes 42 with their frustoconical rims 44 are formed in the central section 120, which ultimately becomes the top member 24 of the ladder 10.

The blank 110 is then subjected to bending operations along longitudinal bending lines running between the corners of the end notches 62 to form the flanges 30 at right angles thereto in a direction away from the plane of the paper in the drawing. This is conveniently done by rolling operations in a conventional rolling mill, as is well understood by those skilled in the metalworking arts. The shallow channel member thus formed is subjected to a second and similar rolling operation at the depth of the inner vertices of the notches 114 along bending lines parallel to the previouslymentioned bending lines, thereby forming the side walls 28 of the channel member having the end wall 26 and flanged configuration shown in FIG. 4.

The thus-formed flanged channel member is then subjected to transverse bending operations along bending lines extending between the vertices of the notches 114, whereupon the side edges 46 and 48 come together as shown in FIG. 1 to form the integral top and side rail unit 12 of flanged channel cross-section previously mentioned. The previously-prepared channel reinforcements 18 (FIG. 8), after the holes 102 and 108 have been drilled in their end walls 72, are then inserted in their respective locations within the side rails 20 as shown in FIGS. 1, 3 and 8) and then welded or otherwise secured in position.

Meanwhile, as these bending operations proceed, the opposite ends of the support rod 104 are aligned with the holes 102 in the reinforcements l8 and the pivot pins 98 are aligned with their respective holes 108, so that, as the bending nears its end, the ends of the rod 104 enter their holes 102 while the pivot pins 98 enter their holes 108. At the same time, the upper fixed step 14 is also aligned with its notches 64 (FIG. 10) in the flanges 30 of the side rails 20, so that as the bending thereof nears its end, the opposite ends 58 of the upper fixed step 14 enter the interiors 66 of the side rails so as to become seated therein. The lower fixed step 14 is then welded into place in the lower notches 62, and the ladder 10 becomes completely assembled as shown in FIG. 1.

Alternatively, the welding of one or both of the headed pivot pins 98 can be deferred until the ladder has otherwise been assembled as described above, after and 108 and welded to the adjacent end flange 92.

I claim: 1. A truck ladder adapted to be mounted on a truck body, said ladder comprising 4 a border frame structure composed of inwardlyfacing channel members and including a pair of elongated vertical channel side members disposed in laterally-spaced parallel relationship and a channel top step member interconnecting the upper ends of said side members;

and a plurality of fixed step members extending between and secured to said side members in vertically-spaced parallel relationship and having opposite end portions extending into the interiors of said channel side members, said channel top member being integral with said channel members and said channel top member and said channel side members having opposite side walls terminating in upper ends with meeting edges disposed obliquely to said members, said obliquely-disposed meeting edges being fixedly secured to one another therealong.

2. A truck ladder, according to claim 1, wherein the inwardly-facing vertical channel side members have continuous and unbroken side walls substantially throughout their entire lengths, wherein said side walls have substantially coplanar flanges therealong on their inner edges extending toward one another with gaps therebetween and with slots therethrough at the locations of said fixed step members, and wherein said fixed step members have opposite end portions extending through said slots and gaps into said interiors.

3. A truck ladder, according to claim 1, wherein a movable step member also extends between said side members in vertically-spaced parallel relationship to said fixed step members and has pivots as its opposite ends pivotally connected to said side members, whereby to swing relatively thereto between horizontal operative and vertical folded positions, wherein elongated channel-shaped reinforcing members are secured inside said channel side members, and wherein said pivots pivotally engage said reinforcing members.

4. A truck ladder, according to claim 1, wherein a movable step member also extends between said side members in vertically-spaced parallel relationship to said fixed step members and has pivots at its opposite ends pivotally connected to said side members, whereby to swing relatively thereto between horizontal operative and vertical folded positions, and wherein an elongated step-supporting member extends between said side members beneath said movable step member in horizontally-spaced parallel relationship to said pivots in supporting relationship to said movable step member in the operative position thereof and is connected at its opposite ends to said side members.

5. A truck ladder adapted to be mounted on a truck body, said ladder comprising a border frame structure composed of inwardlyfacing channel members and including a pair of elongated vertical channel side members disposed in laterally-spaced parallel relationship and a channel top step member interconnecting the uppe ends of said side members;

a plurality of fixed step members extending between and secured to said side members in verticallyspaced parallel relationship and having opposite end portions extending into the interiors of said channel side members,

a movable step member also extending between said side members in vertically-spaced parallel relationship to said fixed step members and having pivots secured to the truck body.

6. A truck ladder, according to claim 5, wherein said attachment element has a pilot drill-receiving bore 5 therethrough. 

1. A truck ladder adapted to be mounted on a truck body, said ladder comprising a border frame structure composed of inwardly-facing channel members and including a pair of elongated vertical channel side members disposed in laterally-spaced parallel relationship and a channel top step member interconnecting the upper ends of said side members; and a plurality of fixed step members extending between and secured to said side members in vertically-spaced parallel relationship and having opposite end portions extending into the interiors of said channel side members, said channel top member being integral with said channel members and said channel top member and said channel side members having opposite side walls terminating in upper ends with meeting edges disposed obliquely to said members, said obliquely-disposed meeting edges being fixedly secured to one another therealong.
 2. A truck ladder, according to claim 1, wherein the inwardly-facing vertical channel side members have continuous and unbroken side walls substantially throughout their entire lengths, wherein said side walls have substantially coplanar flanges therealong on their inner edges extending toward oNe another with gaps therebetween and with slots therethrough at the locations of said fixed step members, and wherein said fixed step members have opposite end portions extending through said slots and gaps into said interiors.
 3. A truck ladder, according to claim 1, wherein a movable step member also extends between said side members in vertically-spaced parallel relationship to said fixed step members and has pivots as its opposite ends pivotally connected to said side members, whereby to swing relatively thereto between horizontal operative and vertical folded positions, wherein elongated channel-shaped reinforcing members are secured inside said channel side members, and wherein said pivots pivotally engage said reinforcing members.
 4. A truck ladder, according to claim 1, wherein a movable step member also extends between said side members in vertically-spaced parallel relationship to said fixed step members and has pivots at its opposite ends pivotally connected to said side members, whereby to swing relatively thereto between horizontal operative and vertical folded positions, and wherein an elongated step-supporting member extends between said side members beneath said movable step member in horizontally-spaced parallel relationship to said pivots in supporting relationship to said movable step member in the operative position thereof and is connected at its opposite ends to said side members.
 5. A truck ladder adapted to be mounted on a truck body, said ladder comprising a border frame structure composed of inwardly-facing channel members and including a pair of elongated vertical channel side members disposed in laterally-spaced parallel relationship and a channel top step member interconnecting the upper ends of said side members; a plurality of fixed step members extending between and secured to said side members in vertically-spaced parallel relationship and having opposite end portions extending into the interiors of said channel side members, a movable step member also extending between said side members in vertically-spaced parallel relationship to said fixed step members and having pivots at its opposite ends pivotally connected to said side members, whereby to swing relatively thereto between horizontal operative and vertical folded positions, and an attachment element secured to and projecting from said movable step member and adapted to be secured to the truck body.
 6. A truck ladder, according to claim 5, wherein said attachment element has a pilot drill-receiving bore therethrough. 